Writing Tip Tuesday: Effect vs Affect

Affect and effect are two words that get mixed up a lot.

First, let's define the two words from Dictionary.com.

Affect is usually a verb, meaning:

• To act on; produce an effect or change in: Cold weather affected the crops.
  
  
• To impress the mind or move the feelings of: The music affected him deeply.
  
  
• To attack or infect, as a disease: Rheumatic fever can affect the heart.

Effect is usually a noun, meaning:

• Something that is produced by an agency or cause; result; consequence: Exposure to the sun had the effect of toughening his skin.
  
  
• The power to produce results; efficacy; force; validity; influence: His protest had no effect.
  
  
• A scientific law, hypothesis, or phenomenon: the photovoltaic effect.
  
  
• Advantage; avail: used her words to great effect in influencing the jury.
  
  
• The condition of being in full force or execution: a new regulation that goes into effect tomorrow.
  
  
• Something that produces a specific impression or supports a general design or intention: The lighting effects emphasized the harsh atmosphere of the drama.
  
  
• A particular impression: large windows that gave an effect of spaciousness.
  
  
• Production of a desired impression: spent lavishly on dinner just for effect.

Even with the definitions, sometimes it's hard to pick. Here are a few rules:

1. Use "affect" as a verb when you're talking about influence.

• Eating too many bon bons can affect your weight.
  
  
• Running into a werewolf was really affecting her mood.

2. Use the "effect" if you're talking about results or to describe something that was caused or brought about.

• The effect of eating an entire pound of bon bons was immediate and uncomfortable.
  
  
• I cannot effect change in my life without a huge bundle of cash.

3. Use "effect" whenever it is preceded by any of these words: a/an, and, any, into, no, the, take(n) (with or without an adverb).

• Meeting a unicorn always had a calming effect on her.
  
  
• The magic wand had an effect on the frog.
  
  
• It's all about cause and effect.
  
  
• The werewolf had no effect on her mood at all.
  
  
• The effect of the vampire bite was instantaneous.

Here is a quiz. See if you can get them all right.